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Two Native American Men Indicted for Unlawfully Selling Eagle and Hawk Feathers

ICTMN Staff

3/7/13

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced March 6 in a U.S. Department of Justice news release that Ruben Dean Littlehead, 38, Lawrence, Kansas, and Brian K. Stoner, 32, Ponca City, Oklahoma, are charged with unlawfully selling feathers from eagles and hawks covered by a federal law protecting migratory birds. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in Douglas County, Kansas.

Federal law (Title 16, United States Code, Section 703) prohibits taking, killing or possessing migratory birds. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a National Eagle Repository in Colorado for the purpose of providing eagle feathers to Native Americans for use in Indian religious and cultural ceremonies. (For more information, see: Fws.gov/le/national-eagle-repository.html.)

The indictment alleges:

On September 15, 2008, Littlehead sold a bustle made with 68 feathers from a Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

On November 22, 2008, Littlehead sold 11 tail feathers and a wing from a Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos).

On February 26, 2009, Littlehead and Stoner offered for sale parts of a Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), and a Crested Caracara (Mexican Eagle, Caracara cheriway). They sold a tail feather fan made from feathers of a Bald eagle.

On February 26, 2009, they sold a bustle made of feathers of a rough-legged hawk and ferruginous hawk (Bueto lagopus and Buteo regalis).

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.

Court documents were not immediately available for review. Ruben Littlehead, Northern Cheyenne, is a top pow wow dancer and MC, who has emceed at major events such as the Gathering of Nations.

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If they did in fact sell those feathers in if the dates are true, it shows a pattern of, selling, PROFITING off our spiritual items which is NOT done and can never be condoned! THAT IS DISRESPECTING ALL OF CREATION!
We must however remember our Brothers haven't told the story yet!

its sad to hear that he sold this ,,,, but makes me think how much should those people pay for killing the Buffalo in the past ?,,, they always make such a big fuss when indigenouse people do something like this,,,, but what about the things they do ?

its sad to hear that he sold this ,,,, but makes me think how much should those people pay for killing the Buffalo in the past ?,,, they always make such a big fuss when indigenouse people do something like this,,,, but what about the things they do ?

I think some of you are missing the point. Just because money is/was involved, does not necessarily mean that something is not sacred.Some of the most sacred things we do as native people today, sometimes involve monetary compensation.Most medicine people are often compensated with cash, because that is the reality that was created and our people have had to adjust.Why do most of us (if we are lucky) have jobs and are not hunting or fishing for our survival?For me it is about intent and if things were done in a respectful manner.Most tribes did not separate our spirtuality from the rest of our lives and that is often difficult for non-traditionally minded people to understand.

Feathers should NEVER be sold. For any reasons. Period. I too am waiting for the 'other side of the story'. Was it a barter, were they gifted? The government side is always biased and anti-Native rights.

I guess I am the only one here that has to pay for gas or pay bills.I wish evrything could be done by barter as in days past, but thats when there was no money and the only thing to do was to trade!Now, there are expenses that cannot be taken care through barter, not by our choice, but it is just the reality.I don't think money is the answer by no means, but to say that it does play a role, even in our ceremonial lives is wrong.Especially when one person is trying to speak for ALL tribes, which is ridiculous, because of the differences between tribal ways.Amongst my tribe when someone asked to be prayed for they often gave them a horse, to care of their transportation, so what should be done today since most of us now drive cars?I know many ceremonial people that understand this and allow monetary compensation to take of costs that our old people never had.The issue here is abuse and intent, if that was or was not the case and not if money was involved.

it always been my thoughts that the laws protecting birds that are special to us as native americans are in some ways unfair. We may not be the only ones to revere these birds but it seems we are the only ones that are made an example of. Some natives may kill birds but most come by their feathers by legal means. are we not all god creations are we not of one spirit are not the children of the one and only great spirit the who gives life to us all .

I dunno, have to see more on this. Did they actually pursue the sale of each individual feather or of the eagles n hawks as a whole with a price for the bird or feathers itself, or were they contracted to make a bustle and attach the feathers?